Blender



ug- 17, 1965 E. R. LlGoN TAL 3,201,094

BLENDER Filed Jan. 25, 1965 INVENTORD' Elmer" l?. L/'gon Y Wende# lJohnson B Norman C. Gro neer MM//Zf ATTOR/E YS BLENDTJR Elmer lil.Ligen, Pittsburg, Kans., Wendell J. intussen, St. Louis, Mo., and Normanl. Grotheer, Pittsburg, Kans., assigner-s to W. S. Diclrey ClayManufacturing Company, Kansas City, Mo., a corporation ot Delaware Filedlan. 23, 1963, Ser. No. 253,422 Claims. (Cl. 259-5) This inventionrelates to mixing devices, and more United States Patent O particularlyto improvements in high speed continuous t blenders.

The Ablending of materials often presents many difficult problems forvarious reasons. For example, the materials may be physicallyincompatible, have highly abrasive components, produce a highlyexothermal reaction, or tend to set up or harden in the mixingapparatus.

The principal objects of the present invention are: to provide a mixeror blender which is extremely efficient in mixing incompatible materialsincluding abrasive components with only slight or negligible wear onmoving parts; to provide such apparatus which offers good balance ofmoving parts and, therefore, very little vibration during normal use; toprovide such a device which requires very little maintenance and issimple in construc- `tion; to provide such blending apparatus whichpermits Closed continuous mixing for production line use; to providesuch a device which is very easily and quickly disassembled, permittingeasy access thereinto for fast material removal prior to setting up; toprovide such apparatus which operates on a wobble principle using aspherical joint with a unique construction; to provide such `apparatuswhich operates primarily due to shearing action between closely spacedsurfaces in a conical chamber and wherein output is directlyproportional to rotational speed input; and to provide such a mixingdevice which has a very high continuous output compared to the volume ofthe mixing chamber, efficiently removes heat generated by high mixingfriction `and exothermal reactions, and exhibits long life underextremely rugged conditions.

Other objects and advantages of` this invention will become apparentfrom the following description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings wherein are set forth by way of illustration and examplecertain embodiments of this invention.

FIG. l is a fragmentary side elevational View of a mixer or blenderembodying this invention with a portion broken `away showing a sphericaljoint therein.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevational crosssectional view through themixer or blender of FIG. l showing the interior thereof.

Referring to the drawings in more detail:

The reference numeral il generally indicates a blender or mixingapparatus embodying this invention. The blender 1 is of the typeadaptable for mixing incompatible materials, for example, Vin theproduction of mixes containing fast setting epoxy resins, polyurethanesand polyesters and often including highly abrasive lillers. Such `mixesgenerally require very complete blending with high speed how-through toavoid setting up within the mixing chamber.

ln the illustrated example, the blender 1 includes a side wall 2 havinga curved interior surface 3 forming a frustoconical enclosure 4 with abase end 5 and an apex end 6. The` side Wall 2 includes Aa radiallyoutwardly extending annular llange 7 adjacent the base end 5. A cap` 3has an annular flange 9 matching the side wall flange 7 and adapted toremovably abut thereagainst. An annular groove 1d extends into the cap 8and contains an Oring seal 11 adapted to seal against an interior dllPatented Aug. l?, i965 side wall llange 9 and cap ilange 7 for removablysup- Y porting the cap adjacent the side wall 2 and covering the chamberbase end 5.

A conical member 13 having a base 14 and an apex 15 is supported at thebase 14 on the cap d and extends coaxially into the enclosure l with theapex 15 being located well within the enclosure. The conical member 13has an exterior surface 16 with the same slope as the interior surface 3and is radially equally spaced from the interior surface 3 forming aconical mixing chamber 17 therebetween.

An end wall 18 is, in the illustrated example, integral with the sidewall Z and has a radially outwardly extending annular liange 19. The endwell 18 is located at the enclosure apex end 6 and has semi-sphericalwalls Ztl forming an opening 21 therethrough axially of the mixingchamber 17. A sphere 22 is engaged on one hemispheric portion 23 thereofin universal sliding contact with the end wall 18 at the end Wallopening 21. A rigid cylindrical elongated linger 24 is rigidly securedto the sphere 22 by means of an integral extension 25 extending throughthe sphere 22. The linger 2li extends from the hemispheric portion 23beyond the end wall opening 21 into the mixing chamber 17. The free end26 of the linger 2li has suitable flats thereon to act as wrench seatsfor assembly and disassembly. The ydiameter of the finger 2d is onlyslightly smaller than the closest distance between the exterior surface16 of the conical member 13 and the interior surface 3 of ther side Wall2. In a typical example, the last-mentioned size difference is in theorder of .O10 inch for a 1/z-inch diameter 31/2 inch long linger (3G00centipoise viscosity input), however, it is to be understood that higherviscosities generally require greater clearances.

An O-ring seal 27 is engaged in and supported by a groove 2S `in the endwall 18 and is slidably engaged in sealing contact against the sphere 22substantially at an equator circle to prevent leakage from the mixingchamber 17 which may Work between the end Wall i8 and sphere 22.

A support shell 29 is substantially hollow on the interior thereof andhas an annular flange Sill matching and abuttable against the end wallliange 19. A fast acting, hand operated ring clamp 31 similar to theclamp 12 engages the end wall flange 19 and the support shell llange 3l)for removably supporting the end wall 18 adjacent the support shell 29.

An annular bearing member 32 is supported in an opening 33 formed in theshell Z9 coaxially of the mixing chamber 17. The opening 33 has ashoulder 34 engaging the bearing member 32, preventing motion away fromthe end wall 18. The bearing member 32 is supported by the shell 29 inuniversal sliding engagement with the sphere 22 on a hemispheric portion3S thereof opposite to the hemispheric portion 23. The bearingmember 32urges the sphere 22 against the end Wall 18 and traps the sphere and theseal or O-ring Z7 between the end wall 18 and the bearing member. Arigid rod 36 has a threaded bore extending axially thereinto andthreadedly receiving the extension 25 of the linger 24 for rigidlysecuring the rod 36 to the sphere. The rod 36 extends through a conicalopening 37 in the bearing member 32 coaxial with the mixing chamber 17and into the hollow support shell 29. The rod 36 has wrench llats 36and. extends oppositely coaxially with the linger 24 and terminates in abearing 37 suitably secured thereto.

A suitable prime mover such as a motor 3d is mounted by means of abracket 39 and bolts @il adjacent the shell 29 and has a driven shaft ilentering the support shell 29 coaxially of the mixing chamber 17. Acoupling 42 is rotatably iixed with respect to the shaft 4l by means ofa suitable key 43 and includes a head 4d to which the bearing 37 iseccentrically engaged by means of an axial screw 45 and receiving sockete6 for rotatably driving the linger 24 through the mixing chamber 17.The motion of the rod 36 and linger 24 produces a Wobbling of the sphere22 which has been found to produce an extreme minimum of wear betweencontacting surfaces even in the presence of abrasive materials.

An input connection member or passageway d'7 extends through the sidewall 2 and end wall 1S and communicates with the mixing chamber 17vadjacent the sphere 22 for pumping materials to be mixed or blendedthereinto under pressure. An output connection member or passageway 4Sextends through the cap 3 and communicates with the mixing chamber 17between the side wall 2 and conical member 13 adjacent the base end 5.It is to be understood that any suitable high pressure may be maintainedwithin the mixing chamber 2 by controlled blockage of mixed materialdischarging through the output passageway 48.

A jacket i9 is spaced from and surrounds the side wall 2 and engages theend Wall 18 and iiange 9 forming a coolant pasageway Si)` therebetween.Suitable input and output connection members 5l and 52 communicate withthe coolant passageway Sil for circulating any suitable cooling fluidtherethrough for controlling the temperature within the mixing chamber17.

In operation, materials to be mixed or blended are pumped under pressureinto the mixing chamber while the coupling 42 is rotated by the motor 3Sat speeds, for example, between 1000 and 3000 r.p.m. Due to the very`high mixing efficiency caused by the shearing forces produced betweenthe finger 24 and the mixing chamber surfaces, susprisingly highflow-through speed is usually obtained, only a very small containedvolume of material being in th-e mixing chamber at any one instant. Incase of a production shut-down when mixing fast setting materials, it isa very simple matter to merely release the clamps l2 and 3i, permittingeasy access to all material contacting parts of the mixer for cleaning.

A very desirable feature of this improved mixer is that capacity issubstantially directly proportional to the input rotational speed foreasily predicting optimum mixing conditions for any desirable liow rate.This is in contrast to well known blade mixers wherein output is not astraight line function of rotational speed input. Also, the Well knownblade mixers require approximately twice the internal volume and thustwice the material hold-up time than the above-described mixer for asimilar production rate. Although the finger 24 rotates in an orbitalpath, the moving parts extending in opposite directions from the sphere22 may be easily quite closely dynamically balanced so that in operationsurprisingly little vibration is produced unless excessively highrotational speeds are used.

It is to be understood that while one form of this invention has beenillustrated and described, it is not to be limited to the specific formor arrangement of parts herein described and shown except insofar assuch limitations are included in the claims.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for mixing materials comprising:

(a) a side wall having a curved interior surface forming a rusto-conicalenclosure with a base end and an apex end, an end member adjacent saidlside wall at said enclosure base and,

(b) a conical member having a base and `an apex portion, said conicalmember being supported by said end member Iand extending coaxially intosaid enclosure with said conical member apex portion being locatedWithin said enclosure, said conical member having an exterior surfacespaced from said interior surface formingr a conical mixing chambertherebetween,

(c) an end wall at said enclosure apex end and having means forming anopening therethrough axially of said mixing chamber, a sphericallycurved member, means for maintaining said curved member engaged inuniversal sliding contact with said end Wall and substantially closingsaid end wall opening, an annular seal, means for maintaining said sealin slidable sealing contact with said curved member and in sealingengagement with said end wall, a rigid finger rigidly secured .to saidcurved member and extending therefrom beyond said end wall opening intosaid mixing chamber,

(d) a ri-gid rod rigidly secured to said curved member and extendingoppositely `and substantially coaxially of said nger, a prime moverdriven shaft, means supporting said driven shaft extending coaxially ofand spaced from said mixing chamber, a coupling rotatably secured onsaid shaft and rotatably and eccentrically. engaging said rod `fororbitally driving said finger through said mixing chamber,

(e) an input connection member communicating with said mixing chamber,and an output connection mem- .ber communicating with said mixingchamber at a position spaced from said input connection member.

2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

(a) said side wall has a flange adjacent said base end,

(b) said end member has a ange cooperable with said side wall iiange,and including (c) a quick-release ring clamp engaging said side walliiange and said end member flange for removably supporting said endmember adjacent said side wall.

3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

(a) said end wall has a clamp-engaging support portion, `and including(b) 1a support shell having a clamp-engaging support portion cooperablewith said end wall support -portion, quick-release clamping meansengaging said end wall support portion and sai-d support shell supportportion for removably supporting |said end wall adjacent said supportshell,

(c) said means for maintaining said curved member engaged including `abearing member .supported by sai-d support shell in universal sli-dingengagement with said curved member and urging said curved member againstsaid end wall, the disengagement of said clamping means permitting theseparation of said end wall and support shell and release of said curvedmember.

4. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

(a) said spherically curved member is substantially a sphere, and said(b) means for maintaining said annular seal in slidable sealing contactpositions said seal against said sphere substantially at an equatorcircle thereof.

5. A seal joint comprising,

(a) .a curved member substantially spherical in shape,

(b) a first wall having means forming a concave circular portiondefining an opening therethrough, said `concave portion having acurvature matching said curved member and having a -maximum diameterless than the diameter of said curved member for slidably receiving saidcurved member thereagainst on not more than one hemisphere of saidcurved member,

(c) a second wall, means removably maintaining said second Wall adjacentsaid first wall, said second wall having means forming a concavecircular portion for slidably engaging said curved member at a positionopposed to said first named concave portion when said walls are adjacentfor removably trapping said curved member therebetween, said secondnamed 5 concave portion dening an opening through the sec- ReferencesCited by the Examiner ond Wall, a (d) two rods vsecured with Irespect toysaid curved mern- UNITED STATES PATENTS ber `and extending radially inopposite directions 1148227 7/15 Heeley '74* 181 therefrom andrespectively through said openings, 5 2170303 8/39 Helstmp said -rst`and second Walls being spaced apart adgsntander 2"91 jacent said curvedmember forming a circular groove 2861156 11/58 Kuma .opening toward said`curved member on a circle sur- 3116878 1/64 Reiter' 259 10`2 X roundingthe axis of said rods, and

(e) a ring seal in sealing engagement with vat least 10 FOREIGN PATENTSone of said walls .and ixed in said groove andv ex- 1,049,803 2/59Germany.

tending into sliding sealing Contact with said curved 4 member on the`curved surface thereof. IRVING BUNEVICH, Primary Exmm

1. APPARATUS FOR MIXING MATERIALS COMPRISING: (A) A SIDE WALL HAVING ACURVED INTERIOR SURFACE FORMING A FRUSTO-CONICAL ENCLOSURE WITH A BASEEND AND AN APEX END, AN END MEMBER ADJACENT SAID SIDE WALL AT SAIDENCLOSURE BASE AND, (B) A CONICAL MEMBER HAVING A BASE AND AN APEXPORTION, SAID CONICAL MEMBER BEING SUPORTED BY SAID END MEMBER ANDEXTENDING COAXIALLY INTO SAID ENNCLOSURE WITH SAID CONICAL MEMBER APEXPORTION BEING LOCATED WITHIN SAID ENCLOSURE, SAID CONICAL MEMBER HAVINGAN EXTERIOR SURFACE SPACED FROM SAID INTERIOR SURFACE FORMING A CONICALMIXING CHAMBER THEREBETWEEN, (C) AN END WALL AT SAID ENCLOSURE APEX ENDAND HAVING MEANS FORMING AN OPENING THERETHROUGH AXIALLY OF SAID MIXINGCHAMBER, A SPHERICALLY CURVED MEMBER, MEANS FOR MAINTAINING SAID CURVEDMEMBER ENGAGED IN UNVERSAL SLIDING CONTACT WITH SAID END WALL ANDSUBSTANTIALLY CLOSING SAID END WALL OPENING, AN ANNULAR SEAL, MEANS FORMAINTAINING SAID SEAL IN SLIDABLE SEALING CONTACT WITH SAID CURVEDMEMBER AND IN SEALING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID END WALL, A RIGID FINGERRIGIDLY SECURED TO SAID CURVED MEMBER AND EXTEND-